Wayne State University’s (WSU) 203-acre main campus is located in Detroit’s Cultural Center Historic District and offers 350 degree programs through its 13 schools and colleges. This Carnegie-rated research university is one of the three University Research Corridor partners (the University of Michigan and Michigan State University are the other partner schools) and has a long history of academic excellence across a wide range of studies.
Because of their decentralized marketing structure, WSU’s brand image suffered as disparate messaging was delivered to the market via their 13 schools’ and colleges’ marketing efforts. DCS Co’s challenge was to define the Wayne State University brand in a way meaningful and motivating to a wide range of customers and in a singular, representative manner that appealed to all 13 schools and colleges. In short, DCS Co. was asked to reverse years of negative publicity, build positive consumer brand awareness and drive enrollment.